Government Official States Ministry of Defence Investigating Security Risk from Vehicles from China, as Staff Instructed to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
A defense minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider security environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
